System.UnauthorizedAccessException Access to the registry key

Question

I have some code that calls the TFS API and returns team meta data. (e.g. team names, area paths, etc.) The code works fine locally in Visual Studio ASP.NET MVC project, but fails whenever I deploy to the server.

What I have tried that didn't work:

I granted the AppPool user account Full control to the registry key (did not work) Also, tried granting Everyone Full Control to the registry key (still did not work) Any insight into how to set up the correct permissions of configuration for IIS deployed apps to hit the TFS API would be greatly appreciated. (error message below)

Here's the Error message the app produces:

System.UnauthorizedAccessException

Access to the registry key 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VSCommon\12.0\ClientServices\TokenStorage\VisualStudio' is denied.

System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the registry key 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VSCommon\12.0\ClientServices\TokenStorage\VisualStudio' is denied.
   at Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey.Win32Error(Int32 errorCode, String str)
   at Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey.CreateSubKeyInternal(String subkey, RegistryKeyPermissionCheck permissionCheck, Object registrySecurityObj, RegistryOptions registryOptions)
   at Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey.CreateSubKey(String subkey, RegistryKeyPermissionCheck permissionCheck, RegistryOptions options)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.Common.TokenStorage.RegistryTokenStorageHelper.GetRootKey(String subkeyName)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.Common.TokenStorage.RegistryTokenStorage.RetrieveToken(VssTokenKey tokenKey)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsClientCredentialStorage.RetrieveToken(Uri serverUrl, VssCredentialsType credentialType)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.CookieCredential.OnCreateTokenProvider(Uri serverUrl, HttpWebResponse response)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.IssuedTokenCredential.CreateTokenProvider(Uri serverUrl, HttpWebResponse response, IssuedToken failedToken)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsClientCredentials.TryGetTokenProvider(Uri serverUrl, IssuedTokenProvider& provider)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.Channels.TfsHttpRequestHelpers.PrepareWebRequest(HttpWebRequest webRequest, Guid sessionId, String operationName, CultureInfo cultureInfo, TfsRequestSettings settings, TfsClientCredentials credentials, IdentityDescriptor impersonate, IssuedToken& currentToken, IssuedTokenProvider& tokenProvider)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.Channels.TfsHttpRequestHelpers.CreateSoapRequest(Uri requestUri, Guid sessionId, String soapAction, String operationName, CultureInfo cultureInfo, TfsRequestSettings settings, TfsClientCredentials credentials, IdentityDescriptor impersonate, IssuedToken& currentToken, IssuedTokenProvider& tokenProvider)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.Channels.TfsHttpWebRequest.CreateWebRequest()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.Channels.TfsHttpWebRequest.SendRequest()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.Channels.TfsHttpRequestChannel.Request(TfsMessage message, TimeSpan timeout)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.Channels.TfsHttpClientBase.Invoke(TfsClientOperation operation, Object[] parameters, TimeSpan timeout, Object[]& outputs)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Client.RegistrationProxy.GetRegistrationEntries(String toolId)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Client.RegistrationService.RefreshMemoryCache()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Client.RegistrationService.Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Server.IRegistration.GetRegistrationEntries(String toolId)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Client.IdentityManagementService..ctor(TfsConnection tfsBase)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Framework.Client.IdentityManagementService2..ctor(TfsConnection tfsBase)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsConnection.CreateInternalProxy(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsConnection.GetServiceInstance(Type serviceType, Object serviceInstance)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsConnection.GetService(Type serviceType)
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsConnection.GetService[T]()
   at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client.TfsTeamService.QueryTeams(String projectId)

Answer 1

I have been having the same problem and have solved it by setting the "Load User Profile" in IIS application pool settings to True.

I don't know if this is some new dependency in TFS 2013 or whether IIS 8.5 has changed the default, but this fixes it for me.